Mentoring - What should one look for in it??

I am sure all of us see successful people around us. Have you ever stopped by to ask them how they got to where they are? The chances that they will mention about a mentor helping them are very high. What makes mentoring so important? Receiving that investment of time, energy and advice makes mentoring almost priceless. This also means that one should be very careful in choosing a mentor. So, are there any attributes that one should look for in a mentoring program? Here are my thoughts. Do you agree?

Looking for praise alone won’t suffice.

A lot of people are looking for some attention and appreciation when they claim that they want a mentor. They aren’t really looking for constructive feedback which is what would help them work towards growth both personally as well as professionally. To make the most of a mentor, people should look for things that would help build their curiosity and self awareness. This would definitely drive them to perform better.

The more silent, bigger the failure.

If people are to grow, their mentors should be ready to have frank conversations with them. Conversations that are difficult to have and most people would avoid having. A manager can be a mentor too by providing constructive feedback at all times, this would also ensure there are no surprises for the employee during appraisal.

Readiness to accept candid feedback.

A lot of times people don’t like to hear bad things and would love to hear only good things about themselves. But if one wants to make the most of a mentoring relationship, they should be ready to accept candid feedback and understand that it is in their best interests  and therefore be ready to take/accept it.

Building Relationship.

Unless the mentor-mentee build their relationship over a period of time, this wouldn’t work. It can easily get either of them to be disinterested sooner and the meetings would become obligatory. And once it does, there are no benefits to derive for either party. Hence, active listening and empathizing becomes extremely important for the relationship to succeed.

Admiration and Emulation.

While one chooses a mentor, they should never try to align one’s self with someone because of their title. That would be the worst thing to do. Rather, they should look out for someone whom they look up to. That would help them stay focused and make the most of the relationship.